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Staff ReportsJune 5, 2017

A disgruntled former employee opened fire inside a Florida awning manufacturer on Monday, killing five workers there and then killing himself, officials said. The gunman was armed with a knife and a gun but did not stab anyone, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said during a news conference. Demings said the shooter — who had […]

Scott PowersJune 5, 2017

Five people plus the apparent shooter are dead in an early morning mass killing at the Fiamma company in east Orange County Monday morning. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said a man he described as an apparent disgruntled former employee killed four men and a woman Monday morning and then killed himself, in a camper […]

Scott PowersJune 5, 2017

Accused cop-killer Markeith Loyd has been cited for two more offenses; but unlike the murder charges he faces, if he challenges the new charges he likely would beat them: red light running tickets. The tickets, issued because of evidence gathered by red-light cameras in Orlando, were both for dates when Loyd already was in jail, […]

Scott PowersJune 2, 2017

For the third-straight year, Orlando has been denied local anti-terrorism money for not being a significant enough target under federal guidelines, exasperating Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings who has pushed federal officials to reconsider their decision-making process. Demings, as have other current and former members of Congress from Orlando, has been pushing U.S. Homeland Security […]

Scott PowersMay 30, 2017

Winter Garden-based Knox Medical is set to open Orlando’s first medical marijuana dispensary Friday in a location near Florida Hospital’s downtown campus. Knox is one of nine companies statewide licensed to produce and sell medicines derived from cannabis. Knox has been in operation for several months, relying primarily on delivery service, and earlier this month […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 19, 2017

Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to its lowest rate in nearly a decade in April, state officials announced Friday. The state Department of Economic Opportunity announced the unemployment rate dipped to 4.5 percent in April, down from 4.8 percent one month earlier. The drop marks one of the lowest rates since September 2007, and is only […]

Scott PowersMay 19, 2017

Republican House District 44 candidate Bobby Olszewski is rolling out his endorsement backers for two major fundraisers late this month as he gears up for what will be a big special election primary battle in Orange County. One fundraiser, set for the Shutts and Bowen law firm in Orlando on May 30, features the trio […]

Scott PowersMay 18, 2017

Saying that the current limbo of law is bad for doctors and patients, Democratic state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Amy Mercado pleaded with Gov. Rick Scott and Florida Legislature leaders to call a special session to deal with medical marijuana. “We are here because 71 percent of Florida voters approved the constitutional right to […]

Scott PowersMay 18, 2017

Orlando Republican John Newstreet, chief executive officer of the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce and a former aide to U.S. Sens. Mel Martinez and Marco Rubio, announced he’s entering the House District 44 race going to a special election this summer. “I’m honored by the number of people in the community, and across the state, […]

Scott PowersMay 16, 2017

Republican gubernatorial candidate and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam brought his “Florida First” campaign to the Orlando area for the first time Tuesday afternoon, promising conservative, pro-growth values and belittling liberals he expects to go after him. The fifth-generation Floridian and former state and U.S. lawmaker continued the opening themes of his brand new campaign, declaring […]

Tag: Orlando

Florida leaders react to the shooting in Orlando

Five dead plus shooter at Orange County shooting scene

Markeith Loyd hit with two red-light running tickets while he was in jail

Orlando denied federal anti-terrorism money again; Val Demings says ‘we are baffled’

Knox to open Orlando’s first medical marijuana dispensary Friday

State’s unemployment rate drops to 4.5%

Bobby Olszewski fundraisers set for Orlando, Miami in HD 44 race

Carlos Guillermo Smith, Amy Mercado say special session needed to end cannabis legal limbo

Kissimmee chamber chief John Newstreet enters HD 44 race

Adam Putnam brings ‘Florida First’ tour to Altamonte Springs